Informational lighting systems are used for a variety of purposes in different industries. As opposed to lighting systems used simply for illumination, an informational lighting system may convey safety or other information to an entity outside or otherwise in the vicinity of a vehicle or machine using the informational lighting system. For example, such a system may be employed to show the location or orientation of a vehicle to oncoming or approaching vehicles, or to signal other information. In the context of work machines, such as dump trucks, such information may be related to whether the bed of the truck is full or able to take on additional load. Further, an informational lighting system can be designed according to a variety of considerations, and may include various types of light integrations, light sources, light colors, flashing patterns and light locations.
While effective for such indicated purposes, current informational lighting systems extend upwardly away from the body of the vehicle or machine to which they are mounted. This often results in significant drawbacks. For example, exposed lights may be more susceptible to damage due to increasing the height of the vehicle or machine and having little or no protection from the elements and surrounding structure. Such damage necessarily increases light replacement costs and frequency. Additionally, an exposed and protruding informational lighting system may unnecessarily increase vehicle and system clearances during operation and shipping.
US Patent Publication No. 2008/0122236 discloses exterior lights integrated into a load carrier rack mounted on a passenger vehicle. The disclosed system describes fog and off-road lights for illumination purposes. However, such a system does not signal information or precise vehicle location to an outside observer. Further, such a system requires mounting a load carrier rack onto a vehicle roof to benefit from the added lights.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved informational lighting system for a machine.